Chemicals producers and governments have agreed to step up efforts to push for greater safety in chemicals from lead in paint to microscopic substances. But non-governmental organizations (NGOs) said unless the industry and governments come up with more money, agreed targets for cleaning up chemicals by 2020 were unlikely to be met. A week-long conference was held at the governing body of the Strategic Approach to ­International Chemicals Management (SAICM), which is part of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). The conference agreed to step up work on five "emerging issues": nanotechnology, chemicals in products for everyday use, electronic waste, lead in paint and perfluorinated chemicals.
Juergen Hambrecht, chief executive of BASF, said the chemicals industry was committed to working with groups such as SAICM. "We in the chemical industry truly believe that the global chemical industry is part of the solution for sustainable society and for a better environment," he said. The industry shared public concerns about the urgency of cleaning up chemical waste and making new products safe, but had to be realistic about what could be achieved, he said. ­Demands to eliminate the use of further chemicals under the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants, supported by the sector, must recognise that some targeted substances were important components for industry, he said. Hambrecht said 80 % of major producers had signed up to the Responsible Care initiative of the International Council of Chemical Associations to promote health, safety and environmental performance. It was now important to bring in the tens of thousands of small and medium-sized chemicals producers.